"Nicola was called to Bologna in the year 1225, after the death of St Dominic Calgora, to make the Saint's tomb in marble. So having come to an agreement he made it full of figures in the manner that can still be seen today." (II-3)

Tomb of St Dominic, Bologna. 1265-1271

Detail from the tomb, probably by his pupils

"Having returned to Pisa, Nicola made the marble pulpit of San Giovanni, working on it with the utmost diligence so as to leave his native land a memorial of himself" (II-7)

Pulpit, Baptistery of San Giovanni, Pisa 1255-60

"he included many figures which, if not perfectly designed, were at least finished with infinite care and diligence, as one can see." (II-7)

The Adoration of the Magi (detail), pulpit, Baptistery, Pisa

"Moved by the fame of this work, the people of Siena commissioned Nicola to make for their Duomo the pulpit from which the Gospel is sung." (II-7)

Pulpit, Duomo, Siena 1265-68

"In this, Nicola did many scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, deserving high praise for the figures they contain, which were accomplished with great difficulty and stand out in relief all around the marble." (II-8)

Crucifixion, pulpit, Siena

"The Perugians, through the ingenious application of a friar of the Silvestrines, had brought a huge volume of water through leaden conduits from the mountain of Pacciano" (II-9)

Vasari gives the Fountain in the piazza outside Perugia cathedral to Giovanni, but it is signed and dated by Nicola and his son in 1278; it is Nicola's last known work.

"Giovanni Pisano was commissioned to make all the ornaments for the fountain; so he put his hand to it and made basins on three tiers, two in marble and one in bronze" (II-9)